This blog is where our Executive Director, Bonnie Moore, will answer all your questions from giving to grant writing every week. This resource will help donors and recipients learn about using philanthropy to grow our community. To ask a question, you can reach us in the following ways:

Saying Thank You is Important

October 6, 2016

As Thanksgiving is upon us I cannot stress how important a Thank You is to a donor. Donors truly appreciate a Thank You. I suggest making your receipt a Thank You letter – letter on the top and receipt on the bottom. Your Board can assist with the Thanking donors. A fun and wonderful part of their work can be to reach out to donors and say Thank You.

How many times is too many? Donors can never be thanked enough.Donors tell me all the time they cannot believe that they were not thanked. I cannot believe it either and have been in that position where I waited for a thanks and it never came. It is far easier to keep a happy donor than to seek a new one.

I had a donor that gave my organization at the time $400.00. She was so pleased with how we treated her and how we included her in activities that she eventually gave us a Legacy gift of over a million.When you say all gifts are appreciated. Mean it with a Thank you.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome

September 28, 2016

Welcome to my blog! The Thunder Bay Community Foundation is your resource. One of our goals is to “Nurture” charities to help them become or continue to be sustainable and launch new and innovative initiatives. Our donors create funds and it is their passion for the community that allows us to invest their money and give out grants each year. Nurture your Passion, Build our Community, Create a Legacy.

Every day I get questions from charities on how we can help them achieve their objectives by providing granting advice; assisting with fundraising and strategic plans; introducing them to networking opportunities and much more.

This Blog will be your opportunity to ask questions and I will share the answers.

“Thanks for all you do 365 days a year to make Thunder Bay a better place to live and work. We are thrilled to be part of your Team”!

Why is it important to ask?

This question is probably the one I answer the most when talking to charities. Donors are not psychic and they don’t know what you need if you don’t ask. So many donors have said to me “I gave to X charity money last year and they didn’t bother asking me this year”. You have an established donor – ask again and let them assist you. It is easier to keep a donor than to cultivate a new one. If you don’t ask - donors think you don’t need their support. If you don’t ask you don’t get.

P.S. Never underestimate the power of an ask. People like to be asked – they like to be part of your brand.